Danziger announces new Rooted Cutting Station partners

Danziger, a global leader in bedding plant and cut flower breeding and production, is announcing new partnerships, adding four new Rooted Cutting Stations in the U.S. The Rooted Cutting Stations will offer growers Danziger’s full portfolio in high quality liners as well as exclusive items.

“Currently, our products are available mainly as unrooted cuttings in the U.S.,” says Mike Fernandez, North American bedding market manager. “We recognized a market demand for rooted cuttings, as North American growers have been asking for an easy way to source our varieties in this format. These new partners will make it easier for growers to have access to the entire Danziger portfolio.”

The new partnerships are part of Danziger’s strategy to offer plant selections that are dependable and beautiful, and also provide solutions for growers. “We are committed to helping our customers, along the entire value chain, achieve success,” adds Fernandez. “One of Danziger’s core company values is creative collaborations. These partnerships not only fit the company’s values, it makes things easier for our customers.”

For the 2018-19 season, Danziger customers will also be able to receive cuttings in Autostix format. Through EDI, or by manual order, customers will be able to order most items in either single or pair URC per slot.

Danziger’s product innovation is powered by one of the largest research and development departments in the industry. The team of more than 100 scientists, researchers and professional breeders is based in Israel. Danziger’s state-of-the art production site in Guatemala works under strict protocols to ensure the best quality plant material is available to the North American market.

CropKing hires Nick Greens as new horticulturist and consultant

LODI, Ohio — CropKing has announced the addition of Nick Greens to the CropKing team, in the role of horticulturist/consultant.

Nick Greens started his growing career in 2002 as an apprentice grower for a hydroponics shop. Nick worked through several harvests in San Diego before venturing out on his own. In 2007, Nick moved to Humboldt County, California to work as an assistant grower for a collective of green houses, where he began experimenting with a vortex brewer to develop several recipes for compost teas.

In 2010, Nick moved back to Chicago to start growing produce for Blue Star Produce, where he perfected his compost tea recipes and became a pioneer in organic microgreens and leafy greens production, working for and advising many Chicago indoor farms, including Garfield Produce, Bright Farms, Windy City Greens, Plant Chicago and Nick Greens Grow Team.

Nick created the microgreens program at FarmedHere in 2014, building its first NFT systems, creating crop and lighting recipes, and helping improve monthly sales by nearly 20 percent. In 2016, Nick created a similar microgreens program for Falling Waters Farms in Indianapolis, increasing its sales by nearly 50 percent.

Nick is passionate about educating a new generation of controlled environment farmers and has created many internship opportunities for at-risk youth in urban Chicago. In 2016, Nick helped design and build the Food Science Lab at Schurz High School in Chicago, based on a STEM curriculum, that trains future farmers and supplies healthy food for the school cafeteria. Nick has personally mentored dozens of interns, and many remain working in the industry today.

“The addition of Nick to our team significantly strengthens our resources that are available to our customers. From a consulting and horticultural standpoint, Nick has a unique background that allows us to continue to diversify our services beyond the traditional hydroponic lettuce and tomato growing," Paul Brentlinger, president of CropKing, said. "From an education and training standpoint, Nick is able to educate in a creative and effective way, both in-person at our facility in Lodi and through our online presence."

Trump administration to offer $12 billion in aid to farmers

The announcement follows retaliatory tariffs China has placed on agriculture.

The Trump administration is coming to the aid of farmers hurt by its own hard-line trade policies, announcing Tuesday that it will make an estimated $12 billion in government assistance available, including direct payments to growers.

The money comes after farmers, especially soybean growers, have felt the brunt of retaliatory tariffs placed on agriculture by China and other nations that the Trump administration has penalized with tariffs on imports.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the aid in a call to reporters, saying the programs "are a firm statement that other nations cannot bully our agricultural producers to force the United States to cave in."

LISLE, Ill. (July 25, 2018) — Griffin has announced the publication of its new Seed & Plant catalog for the 2018-19 season. The 2019 Seed & Plant catalog is available now in print and expanded digital formats.

At 280 pages, the print catalog is the company’s most expansive yet, featuring nearly 500 new and improved varieties from the industry’s leading breeders.

Griffin is a stocking distributor of seed crops, and the catalog is a comprehensive guide to the company’s assortment. The 2019 catalog lists more than 3,300 seed annuals, perennials, ornamental grasses, herbs and vegetables.

The company’s brokerage portfolio is also represented. The catalog includes the full vegetative annuals and perennials assortments from Syngenta Flowers, along with new varieties and portfolio highlights from Beekenkamp, Danziger, Dummen Orange, Kientzler, Proven Winners, Sakata and Suntory. New this year, Griffin has added overview information on their chrysanthemum, poinsettia and succulent programs, too.

The digital Seed & Plant catalog retains all of the variety information and photography from the print edition, plus 21 additional resources for growers. These digital extras include crop culture guides, variety selection tools, combo ideas and more to help growers produce their best crops.

The Griffin 2018 catalog is available now for digital download at www.griffins.com/publications. The digital edition is best suited for use on tablets and computers. Print catalogs are available through your local Griffin sales representative or by calling 800.323.7253